Prevent the Subversion of Democracy Action Circle

The Threat that the Trump Movement Poses to Our Democracy

There is an extensive, well-funded , and thus far successful effort underway to replace traditional democratic procedures with control of the outcome of elections by a minority of Trump supporters. Read Jane Mayer’s account of this movement in the New Yorker. “Eighteen states have already enacted 30 laws this year that will make it harder for Americans to vote.” These laws not only make it less likely that minority group members will vote; they are putting control of the voting systems in those state into the hands of Trump supporters. They do this both by getting Trump supporters of the Big Lie (that Trump won the election) into control of these systems and by enabling legislatures to overturn the results of voting in communities and entire states.

Here is what will happen if this cabal is allowed to succeed.

What they might accomplish in 2022:

• Control of the house and/or Senate.
• States in which it becomes nearly impossible to regain majority control of governance
• The overturning of multiple rights in those states.

1. Abortion
2. Voting rights
3. Police misconduct
4. Further erosion of public health and voting rights.

• Emboldening Racism and violence throughout the nation.

Trump elected in 2024 thanks to a set of states where control of the voting system is in the hands of Trump allies and Trump controlled  legislatures. That would result in

• The overturning of all regulations and programs that would address climate change.
• Justice department prosecution of Trump’s enemies.
• Promotion of violence against minorities.
• Corruption at every level of government.
• The impossibility of conducting free elections going forward.

Influencing Corporations to Take a Stand for Democracy

Perhaps the most influential sector of society is the network of 1.7 million corporations in the U. S. Corporations. Thanks to their wealth and sophistication in influencing public opinion and government, they influence law and public policy in ways that favor their interests. However, dissatisfaction with major corporations is at an all-time high. With 73% of Gallup poll respondents saying they are somewhat dissatisfied (31%) or very dissatisfied (42%). It seems therefore that there are a lot of people out there who might be willing to join an effort to get corporations to take a stand against the growing insurgency. Mobilizing customers and employees to get Corporations to stop funding those who are fomenting insurgency or remaining silent and to support efforts to counter the insurgency could be the single best way to address the problem.

And Values to Action could make a significant contribution.

Here are some of the things that an action circle might do to prevent this insurgency from succeeding:

• Write a succinct description of the Trump Movement that is undermining democracy and the peril that it poses to our democracy.
• Find organizations that are working to influence corporations to promote progressive values, but particularly ones that are taking a position against the Trump movements attempt to undermine democracy.
• Find the most compelling way to describe what the Trump movement is trying to do. This requires marketing research. In this memo I mostly use the word “insurgency,” but we need research on the most effective way of labelling what the Trump movement is up to. It must evoke the motivation to do something about the problem.
• Identify corporations that are doing one of three things:

1. funding the Trump movement or politicians that are engaging in or failing to oppose the insurgency or sedition
2. actively working against the insurgency
3. remaining on the sidelines.

• Document the entities that are directly funding the insurgency. This is more likely to be entities that are set up to promote the insurgency, rather than corporations that are doing business, though the funds for these entities may be coming from business corporations. An article in the New Yorker by Jane Mayer.
• Identify and analyze efforts to influence corporations in order to pinpoint the most effective methods.
• Create a pledge that corporations could take that specifies exactly what we want them to do. Roughly that would be

1. to not fund organizations or politicians who support the insurgency or are remaining silent
2. use their public relations skills and resources to oppose the insurgency
3. contribute to the campaigns of candidates who are actively working against the insurgency.

• Develop a guide to influencing corporations to “Do the Right Thing,” namely to stop funding insurgents. This document would describe the most effective strategies and promote their use. It would identify corporations of the three types listed above and provide information about how people and organizations can influence the actions of these corporations.
• With respect to corporations that are knowingly or unknowingly contributing to the insurgency, the goal would be to influence customers of these corporations and those that work for them to demand that they stop supporting politicians that are enabling the insurrection, either actively or by way of remaining silent.
• With respect to corporations that are doing nothing, the goal would be to get them to pledge and adhere to a pledge to actively oppose the insurgency.

If you are interested in participating, please RSVP to join this Action Circle.